What to Watch For: 2016 Meet of Champions!

So, who is truly the best in the state of NH in each event regardless of school size? Who has the best 4×100 Relay? Who is the best Shot Putter? Triple Jumper? 200 meter runner? 1600 meter runner? Only a few sports in high school athletics have actual competitions to determine the answers to these questions once and for all! Oh, and by the way, the meet also determines who qualifies to represent NH at the New England Championships. The top 6 in each event will earn the right to compete next weekend in the Nutmeg State. Therefore, no need for polls exploring who is better. These questions will all be answered!

Of course NHTF.com will be there for athlete interviews and race videos!

Events to Watch For!

Girls Sprints

Will defending 100/200 state champ Dominique Twombly (Oyster River) be healthy and able to compete this weekend? If so, she will certainly be pushed in the 100 by Londonderry’s Yorgelis Ortiz who is seeded just .03 behind the defending state champ! And if either should falter, don’t overlook freshman Grace Devanny of Concord, who is seeded at 12.47.

The 200 is the only individual event Milford’s Viankah Williams is entered in. Anyone else thinking she is going for the state record of 24.44 set by Kathie Lawson of Keene way back in 1971? With her best time of 24.52, the record is definitely within reach. Add in 2 of NH’s fastest ever in Twombly and Ortiz, and we think this might be a recipe for an historical performance.

Girls Distance

Speaking of state records, Maegan Doody (Oyster River) has come within an eyelash of breaking the existing 1600 meter state record the last 2 weeks, running a 4:47.85 at Division 2’s. Looks as if she is up for a third attempt; however, this week she may have some help. Bedford’s Leya Salis dropped a 4:52.98 at Division 1’s attempts. Could we see 2 ladies breaking Arianna Vailas’s record of 4:47.48 set in 2010? How many will break the 5:00 barrier?

Speaking of state records, the current 3200 meter state record is 10:27.06 set by Erica Palmer, Monadnock, in 1997. 2016 has seen 2 ladies come within 10 seconds of that. Current Division 1 record holder and champ, Jackie Gaughan (Exeter) dropped a 10:32.99 just this past weekend, while current Division 2 record holder and champ, Elisabeth Danis (Coe-Brown) posted a 10:36.68 at the Loucks Games last month. On paper, this seems to present a great opportunity for each to take a legitimate shot at sub-10:30 and a new record.

Girls Hurdles

Both events will come down to the best in D2 Corinne Kennedy (Lebanon) and the best in D3 Alex Curtis (White Mountains). Both are among the best multi-event athletes in the state, but the nod as favorite would have to be with Kennedy who is the state record holder in the 300 hurdles and defending state champion.

Girls Relays

Highlight of the relays should be the 4×100 relay. With rested athletes, can Milford lower their new state record even more?

Girls Throws

Lebanon’s Kath Merchant is ranked 1st in Shot Put and Discus. Can she pull off double state titles? With being ranked 4th in the Javelin as well, can she dream???

Girls Jumps

On paper, this category of events may not have the state records attempts the others do, however don’t sleep on the jumps! All four events will have tight competition and with close competitions comes excitement! We are trying to answer the question of who is the best in the state!!!

Boys Sprints

Okay, let’s admit it! Sebastian Eaton (Souhegan) and Angel Feliz (Concord) will each win the 400 and 100 respectively. However, they meet in the 200. On paper, the edge is given to Eaton who has a personal record of 21.86. Seeded at 22.27, can Feliz pull off the upset of sorts??? Keep in mind, Eaton is coming off the 400, while Feliz is coming back off the 100.

Boys Distance

Alvirne’s Noah Bellomo, D1 Champ, has the state’s fastest 800 meter time at 1:55.28 winning last week by more than 2 seconds. Trinity’s Tim Zepf won the D2 title by close to three seconds, and was never really pushed. Once again, this battle of the champions should be tight, but don’t rule out Keene’s Jonathan Allard who will not be doing the 1600 prior to the 800.

Although friendly competitors, Inter-Lakes Cam Daly did not like getting beat by Timberlane’s Liam Kimball at the Loucks Mile last month. D3 champ Daly must be looking to even the season series with D1 champ Kimball this Saturday. Obviously this is easier said than done as Kimball has developed into the majordomo of NH distance runners this spring.

Don’t sleep on the 3200! Nick Sevilla (Pinkerton), Patrick O’Brien (Oyster River), Dom Repucci (Hopkinton) and Kendall Westhoff (Alvirne) all have the ability, experience and pedigree to become state champion. If the weather cooperates, the times could also be very fast! Who do you have if it comes down to a final kick at 9:10 pace???

Hurdles

Can sophomore sensation Billy Powers (Winnacunnet) do something rare for his age and win the high hurdles on his home track? Will Londonderry’s Trevor Guay drop even more off his 38.83 personal record?

Jumps

Similar to the girls, the boys jumping events do not have the dominant force that other events do, however make sure you take in the High Jump and Pole Vault when the bar increases altitude. Nashua South’s Daniel Frechette (6’9″ HJ) and BG’s Tom Lampognana (14’1″ PV) are simply exciting to watch. And with Winnacunnet’s Phillip Antonio soaring 22+’ in the Long Jump and the Nashua North Triple Jumpers, Triston Delicema and Jordan Buckmire gliding through the air for 43 or more feet, the jumps will not disappoint!

Throws

While it is not likely Central’s Jacob Stanko will sweep the throws as he did at Division 1’s, it will be worth the time to watch the javelin soar 200 feet, give or take, on Saturday. Add in Timberlane’s Kyle Faucher at 187’9″, and Pinkerton’s Zachery Sullivan at 179’0″, could spectators be in for another treat when the title is not settled until the very last round?

The three Divisional state champions, Stanko, Pelham’s Dom Branco, and Kearsarge’s Zach Astle will surely go back and forth all 6 rounds of throws in the shot put, while Astle could take the Discus as well. Don’t sleep on Kingswood’s Jacob Overall, who is riding the wave of momentum over the last 2 weeks.